Natalie Portman Ramps Up Production Business (Exclusive)

Natalie Portman

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New deal calls for 1821, run by Greek shipping heir Paris Lastis and Terry Dougas, to co-produce projects with handsomecharlie, which has a "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" adaptation set up at Lionsgate.

The film banner run by the actress and producer Annette Savitch, handsomecharlie films, has teamed with 1821 Pictures. The 18-month arrangement calls for 1821 to provide overhead funds to handsomecharlie with the opportunity for the two companies to co-produce projects that come out of the partnership.

1821's principals include Paris Kasidokostas Latsis, the Greek shipping heir who made the tabloids when he dated Paris Hilton, and Terry Dougas. The duo were executive producers on Richard Kelly'sThe Box and Ricky Gervais comedy The Invention of Lying.

Portman, Savitch and Portman's manager Aleen Keshishian will produce for handsomecharlie films. Latsis and Dougas will produce for 1821.

Portman, who has earned a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and an Oscar nomination for her performance in Black Swan, has been slowly stepping into the producing realm. She made her debut as a producer on Hesher, the indie drama that starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt, produced recent release No Strings Attached and is an exec producer on the family drama The Other Woman, which IFC Films releases Friday.

One of handsomecharlie's hot projects is the adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies; that project is set up Lionsgate and in search of a director.

CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners and attorney George Sheanshang repped handsomecharlie in the deal.